Family, Friends Raise Money for Man Killed in Police Chase

Friends and family of the late Christopher Dorais Kline, 30, of San Clemente are planning fundraisers and memorials after he was killed in a wreck during a police pursuit June 13.

He leaves behind a 10-year-old son and 7-months-pregnant wife, Lisa Kline.

It is unclear why Kline, who friends say was turning his life around after legal problems that sent him to state prison, allegedly ran from police. Friend and former roommate Karrol Ann Watson of San Clemente speculated he was trying to protect another friend -- a passenger who was severely injured in the crash -- from going to jail on an open warrant.

"He was finally getting back on his feet," Watson said. "[Articles about the wreck] were geared toward the chase and it makes him look really bad. It just portrayed him as a criminal."

Watson acknowledged that Kline was a reckless driver, however. The deputy initially tried to pull him over for speeding, according to the Orange County Register.

Kline was out of jail on probation, and had even wrestled down a man who was trying to burglarize vehicles in his neighborhood.

"Just tackled a guy in his boxers for trying to break into cars on our street," Kline wrote on his Facebook page last July. "Then a cop who knows me says 'how about that kline, from convict to community patrol. Keep it up, [I] like the new you!' How about that?"

Watson said Kline was also a good father to his 10-year-old stepson, Gavin.

Kline wrote on his Facebook page in March:

*Little League-$200
*Baseball Glove-$30
*Catcher's Gear-$150
*Oral Surgeon bill when son takes a bat to mouth-$10,000
*Umbrella-$20
*Sitting in the rain watching your kid's team come from behind and kick butt- PRICELESS!!!

The fundraiser for Kline's family will be at 7 p.m. Thursday at in San Clemente. Item donations can be dropped off at 234 W. Canada #1 or 149 W. Mariposa Ave. #2.

For more information click on the Facebook support page for Kline's family.